France president signs same-sex marriage and adoption bill

French President Francois Hollande [official website, in French] gave final approval Saturday to legislation [text, PDF, in French] legalizing same-sex marriage and establishing the right of same-sex couples to adopt. The widely controversial bill, which was part of Hollande's campaign pledges, was was approved by parliament [JURIST report] last month, but France's Union for a Popular Movement party [party website, in French] filed a legal challenge with the country's Constitutional Council. The court rejected the challenge [JURIST report] on Friday, clearing the way for final approval of the bill. Hollande signed the bill into law amid protests [Al Jazeera report] and calls for his resignation. The law will take effect within the month, allowing same-sex couples to officially marry.

France is the latest country to approve same-sex marriage [JURIST backgrounder] in its jurisdiction. Earlier this week, Brazil effectively legalized [JURIST report] same-sex marriage in a court ruling that prevented notaries from denying to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples. Also this month, same-sex marriage legislation was approved in the US states of Minnesota, Delaware and Rhode Island [JURIST reports]. Last month Ireland announced it would hold a referendum [JURIST report] on same-sex marriage. In March, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two same-sex marriage cases regarding the Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8 [JURIST reports], with decisions expected next month.

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